Chairman of China, Xi Jinping, started this year with a speech demanding a peaceful unification with Taiwan, and made clear his intention to take military action if necessary. China is not being shy about their desire to invade Taiwan, and tension has gripped the surrounding areas.

Former President Lee Teng-hui’s Letter to Master Okawa

Preparations for a lecture in Taiwan began when, in February, Master Okawa received a letter from former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, who is about to turn 96. In it, Lee expressed his anxieties about the future of Taiwan, and said that he humbly entrusted Master Okawa with the future of Taiwan. Master Okawa responded in the lecture saying, “I can at least become a bridge between Japan and Taiwan, and between Taiwan and Mainland China.”

Master Okawa has given over 2,900 lectures to date, and over 130 of them he did in English. He has lectured in all 5 continents around the world, and this lecture marked the 11th year since his last lecture in Taiwan.

Master Okawa began the lecture explaining the teachings of Happy Science.

There are many religions out there, but what we are uncovering is the question ‘what is right’ on a level beyond differences in religion. If there are people suffering under outrageous conditions, we try to lessen those sufferings. If there are countries that are overcome by hatred, we try to alleviate that hatred, and through love, change the country towards progress by peaceful means: through the power of opinion.

The event lasted 1 hour including a Q&A session, and around 800 people including the press gathered at the auditorium and listened closely.

Photograph: many people gather at the venue

China Is Using The People as a Means To Fulfill Their Desires

Master Okawa spoke about the problems with Taiwan’s neighbor, China, and clarified the differences between Taiwan and China.

Master Okawa indicated that China is a totalitarian country that uses the people as a means to fulfill its desires, as opposed to a democracy where the country serves to fulfill the happiness of its people.

He further explained with reference to political scientist Hannah Arendt’s definition of totalitarianism: 1) That there are secret or special police watching the people; 2) That there are concentration camps; 3) That the government purges and annihilates those who criticize the government. Taiwan is currently clear of all three conditions, so it is not a totalitarian state. In fact, it is a country that is based on the Western principles of freedom, democracy and faith.

In China, on the other hand, there are currently over 1 million Uighurs detained in concentration camps called “reeducation camps”, and they are being brainwashed by the Communist Party. The Uighurs are denied their Muslim faith, and are ideologically brainwashed with the duty to serve the Communist Party. There are many Uighurs living abroad who cannot even tell whether their families are alive or dead.

To this state of affairs, Master Okawa said, “A country that is in a leading position in the world must know more about the world, and about how the people of the world feel about their actions,” and indicated that Xi’s lack of global awareness is the cause of serious domestic and diplomatic problems.

No Need To Seek Independence Because Taiwan Is Already Independent

On the issue of China’s ambition to make Taiwan part of their territory, Master Okawa said, “There is no need to seek independence [from China]. Taiwan is already developing as a unique country. This country is different from China.” Taiwan is a modernized country that treasures the values of freedom, democracy and faith; it is a completely different and independent country from China’s one-party rule.

When the U.K. returned Hong Kong to China’s hands in 1997, they promised to give Hong Kong 50 years of autonomy according to the One Country, Two Systems policy. In less than 20 years, however, China’s dictatorship has started to show is influences. The limitations set on candidates for the Hong Kong Elections of the Legislative Council is one example.

So, considering what happened with Hong Kong, it is clear that China will not keep the promises they are making in their desire to implement the One Country, Two Systems policy for Taiwan.

Master Okawa explained that the point is not whether Taiwan will become the victim of Sinicization, but that Taiwan must spread their unique prosperity and faith in God into Mainland China, and bring happiness to the Chinese people.

Spreading Taiwan’s prosperity and progress; this democratic, liberalistic and capitalistic thinking; and the awareness of the importance of faith into Mainland China is what will lead to the happiness of the Chinese people.

Master Okawa conjured a vision for the future: to establish a political party in Mainland China based on the values upheld in Taiwan and Hong Kong – a Freedom Party of China – and to make it compete against the Communist Party in a two-party system. This will boost the country towards parliamentary politics. He declared that the people of Taiwan have a right to claim, “We have no intention to unify unless you intend to bring us happiness.”

Japan Will Not Abandon You This Time

In 1972, with the normalization of diplomatic relations with China, Japan decided to cut-off ties with Taiwan. “I feel that this is a very embarrassing attitude,” said Master Okawa. “At least as a country of Bushido, this was unacceptable.”

Then he explained that the Happy Science group’s political party, the Happiness Realization Party (founded in 2009 with Ryoko Shaku as the leader), advocates the restoration of diplomatic relations with Taiwan and the establishment of an alliance.

If Taiwan, Japan and the U.S. cooperate to protect freedom in the Asia Pacific, it will provide a huge benefit for the world, he added. It is God’s will to spread these values into Mainland China to save it, and it is the mission bestowed upon those who believe in God, he said.

Master Okawa confessed why he is saying these things so directly even when Japanese politicians shy away from doing so.

The starting point of my thinking is the question, “What is the right thing?” Because I believe that all people should create their future based on this point. This is the message I came all the way from Japan to tell you, the people of Taiwan. And it is the very thing that Xi Jinping didn’t want me to tell you.

Finally, he ended his lecture with a message to the people of Taiwan.

But please don’t worry. The Japanese people will not abandon Taiwan this time. Japan is changing . . .

Japan will do everything within its power. Please believe this. But how you make your future depends on what outcome you bring when each one of you joins your forces.

Please don’t think about Taiwan-Japan relations emotionally and with hatred of the past. I would like you to overcome that and direct that relationship towards constructing the future.

Master Okawa also spoke on the following points in the lecture and Q&A session:

The dangers of simple constitutionalism and constitutional countries

What the Trump-Kim Summit breakdown means

How Sweden and Germany are different countries despite being the same racial group